


Scrawl

by NellHathNoFury



Series: The Twenty-Seven Club [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Celtic Mythology & Folklore, Comedy, Dark Fantasy, Drama, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Folklore, Full Shift Werewolves, Horror, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Multi, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Pennsylvania, Small Towns, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Werewolves, rural fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:15:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28633119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NellHathNoFury/pseuds/NellHathNoFury
Summary: Maddox finds it incredibly cliché that his parents announce that a new job opportunity has led the family to a no-name, nowhere town in the midst of Pennsylvania, and fears that his life is becoming an indie coming-of-age film. When this new town is home to sinister presences such as savage, man-eating werewolves and inscrutable fairy folk, Maddox struggles balancing this newfound darkness he's forced to face alongside the horrors of high school.
Relationships: Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s)
Series: The Twenty-Seven Club [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2098335
Kudos: 1





	1. Trees Old and Young

There was but one car on the road in the midst of the clement mid-September evening. The car whizzed down the road, sending sere leaves flying into the air in its wake. Within the car was a man, a woman, and their son. The adults bore smiles that illumined their faces as they hummed to the radio, while their son wore a scowl. These three were on the route to a new life in Penn Abbey, Pennsylvania, and although oblivious to them then, their lives would never be the same, in a far grander scope that none of them could ever expect or imagine.

The boy — Maddox Saylor, sixteen years old and more vitriolic than he ever had been in his life — cared little for anything _new_. He cared even less for his mother's 80s playlist, and in fact, in a rare bout of childish rage, he pondered if he could get away with unbuckling his seatbelt, throwing himself into the front of the car, removing the CD, and then tossing it out the window. He didn't need any sort of song, especially from nearly forty years ago, reminding him of his situation.

_"Welcome to your life..."_

_"There's no turning back..."_

_"Even while we sleep..."_

The boy closed his eyes as his parents sang the song together in an off-key duet. He wished he could be rendered deaf — temporarily or not, depending on how long this duet lasted — rather than temporarily blinded by the shutting of his eyes. He opened his eyes once more, bored already with being unable to see, and turned to look out the car window. He focused on the sight of the twilight skies hanging above the winding road. The fading purple of the sky complemented the large, billowing clouds stained peach and gold by the afterglow. The monotonous synth of 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' reinforced the alien view just outside the car, accessible by just the opening of a door. 

The moment the song ended, Maddox's parents shared a brief kiss, and his mother declared, in elation, that they were only fifteen short minutes away from their new home. Fifteen short minutes away from Nowhere, Pennsylvania, Maddox thought, and fifteen minutes away from his new life, as Tears For Fears reminded him,

New home, new life — new, new, new.

Oh, kill me already, he thought. I can't stand it any longer....

The fifteen minutes were quickly spent, with words now and then and here and there between Maddox's mother and father. He remained silent, as he had been for most of the trip, and neither parent said a word concerning his mood, not that he wanted them to acknowledge it in the first place. He figured they knew this as well. By the time the newcomers arrived at the apartment complex, twilight had now been erased from the heavens, and now, only tiny, twinkling pinpricks of stars and an almost full moon had their time in the limelight. The moving truck and the movers themselves had beat them by about an hour, but they already began their work. Whether this was out of goodwill or frustration, Maddox didn't know. While Maddox's mother was undeniably embarrassed, hardly saying a word and covering her reddened face, his father shouted happily at them and joined their work without asking a single mover if his help was needed. He also bragged about what had brought them there in the first place, to an apartment so luxurious and spacious — a new job opportunity.

The three men heaved all the furniture, sweating and straining, up the rusted stairs leading to the apartment. The complex itself was a large square building with three floors, and somewhat to his delight, Maddox and his family had the third floor, the highest floor, all to themselves. Maddox and his mother watched the movers as though helpless and rooted to the spot, though once the Herculean feat had been accomplished, they opened the trunk of the car and rummaged for their personal items. The items in question were three suitcases, a pair of tangled earbuds that Maddox had been searching for to no avail during the drive, and a pair of bona fide diamonds — his parents' wedding rings. 

Weirdly, Maddox witnessed the two remove their rings (making the boy wonder if they were surprising him with not just a new house, but a divorce). He was relieved when his father explained it was a symbolic gesture; they removed the rings at the start of the car ride and then it was planned for the rings to return to their fingers upon arrival, indicating the change in their lives comparable to their own wedding. Maddox _sort of_ understood — only sort of — and his mother was so put off by her son's jump to conclusions that she didn't speak for an hour. At the end of this hour, she had reentered her sunny mood as if nothing happened, and Maddox recognized that he was no longer allowed to say the word 'divorce' in the presence of his parents.

After paying the movers a generous tip, Maddox's father crossed his hands over his chest and exhaled loudly, the kind of exhale you make after a long day of hard work, though other than just now, he hadn't experienced such a thing. He didn't even drive the car to Pennsylvania.

"Well, it certainly is a good place, thank you very much!" shouted Maddox's dad.

Maddox snorted, mouthing _Thank you very much_ and hopping his father would never say that phrase ever again.

"Andrew, you said the _same_ exact thing last time we were here. And the time before that," said Maddox's mother.

Embarrassed by both his parents, Maddox let out a small chuckle and followed his parents up the rusty staircase, which — according to his mother — looked as though it would break if the three continued to tread on them any longer. His parents then strutted into the apartment like they owned the place — which they did, believe it or not — while Maddox stood a few feet behind them, wary to step inside.

Maddox loathed anything new. He loathed 80s music, and he loathed apartments — he had a mental checklist of things he loathed, and he added a new thing to denounce every few months, though today, they were piling on and on. His hate of apartments most likely stemmed from the fact that he never lived in an apartment; besides, prior to moving to Pennsylvania, he only ever lived in one house. 

He hoped that this was the first and final move of his life, as he couldn't bear to start life anew for a third time, and he hadn't even finished restarting life now.

In spite of his initial repulsion to the apartment, he did find it beautiful upon closer inspection; perhaps he _could_ live there. It was as if someone had managed to cram a magnificent two-story house in the space of an apartment building. There was a living room, a kitchen and a bedroom adjacent to it, and then a polished wooden staircase that led to a loft and another bedroom. The enchanting sight that was the house prompted Maddox to question how much it cost, something neither of his parents refused to comment upon. Surely their wallets must've been emptied, but then again, his dad did get that bonus.

"Son!" called Maddox's father from upstairs, yanking Maddox away from his ephemeral fantasy. He was standing in the doorway again, letting night air and moths into the apartment. "Remember, your room's up here, not in the living room, last time I checked!" Maddox shuffled inside and shut the door behind him, a little stronger than he intended. A slam, to be precise.

The boy ambled up the stairs, not before propping up his suitcase against the wall of the living room. He studied the loft for a moment and then looked to the right, where he saw his open bedroom door on one side and a bathroom door on the other. He stepped into his bedroom and recoiled. His parents stood together in front of his bed, hand in hand, smiling like the twins from _The Shining_.

"Come play with us, Danny," Maddox said aloud.

"Now who let you watch that?" his mother replied, raising her eyebrows and frowning. His father's smile was inextinguishable, on the other hand, almost proud. Maddox didn't give an answer; he looked to the left and breathed.

Maddox mirrored his father's smile although he knew very well that a smile was not the appropriate expression for the emotions pooling within his body. The new room didn't surpass his old room all the way back in Illinois — worlds away — but as with the rest of the apartment, it would have to do unless Maddox desired to be emancipated. Maddox's eyes trailed to and rested upon the window cut in a semicircle to the right of his bed, and registered the shape of the moon. As if the moon itself was spying on the boy, he looked elsewhere. The mattress was yet to be adorned with bedsheets, pillows, and comforters — all the stuff he planned to set up before anything else; he groaned internally as he was forced to come to terms with the fact that no matter how hard he tried to make his bed just like his Illinois one, it would never be the same.

He turned around to face his parents again, and retained his smile, rather than allowing the dejected sigh in his throat to escape his lips. An important thought rushed to his head, and at once the pit of his stomach was filled with an icy liquid. He swallowed a sword, a frog — he gulped and then finally said, "School on Monday?"

"School on Monday."

At this the sigh escaped. I could be homeschooled, he thought. Why interact with people? He had no intentions to believe it, but no plea could stop it from happening; his parents said days earlier that he would be attending the local public school, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. He knew that he would blink, or breathe, or say one word and it would be Monday morning — Friday, Saturday, and Sunday snuffed out like candles.

Uncaring and incapable to read Maddox's thoughts, his mother said serenely, "Oh, baby. You know that's the plan, I'm sorry. What's this all about? You just don't want to meet new people?"

Okay, maybe his mom could read his mind.

"I moved eight times, Amanda. I think he can handle —"

"Andrew, shh. He's sensitive, you know that."

Sensitive, huh? Maddox fought the urge to roll his eyes and storm out of the room. In an attempt to restore her son's semblance of happiness, Maddox's mom approached him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay," she said. "Just keep a low profile. I understand you're nervous, but it's really no big deal. And hey, besides, school's for learning, not people."

Maddox nodded. He nodded if he believed her; he would nod if he didn't believe it. Whether he believed her or not, only he knew.

"Well, we might as well get everything else out of the car," Maddox's dad declared. Maddox's apprehensive thoughts came to a halt; in their place came anger. Sensitive, he thought again. Sensitive. Don't say a word to me, why don't you. His father exited the room and hurried down the stairs. _Thump, thump, thump_. Fall down the stairs, why don't you.

"Don't get mad," said his mother once her husband was gone. Maddox opened his mouth, as if to say, 'How'd you know?' but then he realized he must've screwed up his face and squinted, as he did whenever he was irate. "You don't have to go out, not just yet," she said. "You can wait a minute, if you'd like." She repeated what her husband had done, not without sending Maddox a deeply worried look.

He sighed again. Alone, alone. He cracked his knuckles and brought his eyes back to the window, as though the moon were a friend rather than a threat. He blinked at the moon, and found himself staring at it for a while, as if to expect the moon was able to blink in return. The _thump_ s resounded.

"Maddox, are you okay?" asked the warm voice of his mother down the hall. He could picture her then, fingers folded together, her face uneasy. "You need to talk some more? I know a lot's on your mind — I'm sorry we never really got to talking about it before..." She went on and on and then some, and Maddox huffed.

"No, I'm fine," said Maddox, upon realizing his mother was now silent and in wait for an answer. His words faltered, however, and his heart now seemed to be wrapped in thorns. Despite his stutter, he managed to fool her.

 _Now_ truly alone, Maddox collapsed onto his bare mattress and studied the ceiling above. That word — that dreaded word 'new' — reappeared. Everything there was new. His mattress below him, the ceiling above him, the bedroom that surrounded him. New school down the street. New people —

Oh, no. People. New people frightened Maddox the most, no doubts about that. Those two words had his stomach in knots. New people, new faces. Would he be able to find a friend, in the sea of all those faces?

His stomach coiled.


	2. Such Are Daffodils

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddox, against all odds, makes a new friend, and perhaps an enemy.

Maddox awoke with a groan, a crick in the neck, and the sun firing right into his eyes.

He wasn't the type to fall asleep so easily, especially with stricken with stress, but he reckoned he was just exhausted by the long car ride and didn't realize until it was too late. He was embarrassed by the fact that he didn't get a single item unpacked. Maddox rose from the bed, grabbed the back of his neck, and tried — to no avail — to snap it back into place.

To his chagrin, he observed his suitcase laying idly by the door, collecting dust by the minute. If his parents brought his suitcase frown downstairs, why didn't they feel the need to wake him up as he slept? Yawning, he wiped his eyes clean of the grit of sleep and unzipped his suitcase, producing piles of unfolded clothes that he laid on his mattress.

Via the semicircular window, he locked eyes with the sun, which was far more prominent now than its nocturnal counterpart. He turned away, seeing flashes of it on his walls. As if inspired by the sun, he thought, You know what? Why don't I explore today?

The last time he asked himself such a question he was twelve and it was a day much like today. The need to explore, once so integral to his personality, was long extinguished by the time Maddox's parents revealed they were leaving his childhood home behind. He never sat down and thought about why he had turned out that way: Did he just grow up? No way he was grown up — he was only sixteen, as his mother would say. Why now did his wanderlust return to him?

Maddox neglected to change into a new outfit. He located his toothpaste and toothbrush within the suitcase, electing it was time for fresher breath. He jaunted to the bathroom and squeezed a glob of mint toothpaste onto the mass of white bristles of the brush and got to work. When he finished, he bid his parents a good morning, and announced that he was going to get some fresh air before returning to unpack. 

"Fresh air?" inquired his father.

"Fresh air," Maddox confirmed. Even though Penn Abbey was far different than Illinois, the outside world always mellowed his mood. He ignored the fact that he may have been in the early stages of embracing his new home.

The area overlooking the apartment complex was a dense wood, with tall and intimidating trees no longer bedecked with emerald leaves — a telltale sign that the warmer seasons were forced to retreat. What day was the autumnal equinox? Sometime soon.

A cool breeze passed through the trees and it ruffled Maddox's hair. Gold and scarlet leaves, they too subject to the winds, migrated in the same manner as a flock of birds to the far corner of the parking lot, no longer attached to the trees. The trees. Much like the moon, Maddox had the most peculiar impression that they were alive in the same way he was, and that they watched him. The forest called to him, almost — it was ripe for exploration in his eyes. He descended the staircase and stepped onto the sidewalk, crunching a singular brown leaf. 

"Fresh meat, huh," said a voice from behind, startling Maddox. He turned around after letting out a small wail, and he hoped whoever decided to talk to him didn't hear it, even though they most certainly did.

A young girl stood in front of a base-level apartment door, pressing her right leg against it with a coy smile.

"Hi," he said, uncertain. He shook his head. "Hi," he repeated, attempting to be firm.

"I'm going to call you Freckles," she answered, looking at his nose. Maddox's eyes drifted downward. As the girl so cleverly observed, his nose was plastered with nutmeg-colored freckles, as well as patches of skin underneath his eyes. Maddox blushed. He looked at the trees instead of the girl before him. 

"Freckles," he said.

The girl broke the silence by saying, "Just in case, what's your actual name?"

"Maddox."

"Got it."

Maddox examined the girl just as she examined him a moment ago — with her tanned face and arms, Maddox assumed she was a fan of sunshine. Diminutive stains of paint, coming in colors such as blue, gold, and green, coated several parts of her skin. As if to mimic his nose peppered with freckles, her nose was completely dominated by a splotch of mint and gold. The girl's hair — long, caramel, and severely unkempt — nearly fell to her knees. In spite of the mismatched palette of colors she incorporated on her person, what Maddox found the most strange of all — well, was _strange_ the appropriate word?

What Maddox found the most _pretty_ , yes, that was the word... were her simple brown eyes, which went along rather nicely with her mischievous smile.

"I guess I can call you Paint," said Maddox, spicing his words with an odd-sounding laugh. The girl shook her head, retaining that roguish smile, but then pondered the nickname for a moment. Touching her nose, she cringed, and wiped the residue of paint with her thumb.

Instantly regaining her cool composure, the girl said, "Only I get to call you by a nickname, got that? And besides, _my_ name is Lunet. _Loo-nay_. Like filet. I forgot to tell you."

Maddox stared at this girl, this Lunet, with skeptical eyes. He'd never met a Lunet before, and by the looks of it, probably never again. Back in his hometown, there was at least two other Maddoxes — it was not a rare, strange name, especially in comparison to the weird, unique Lunet. With a shrug, he shooed these thoughts and said her name. She nodded, giving Maddox the impression that she regarded him like a toddler desperately trying to communicate with her, a toddler in need of help.

"Lunet Isobel Llawgyffes," she confirmed. Maddox didn't even bother to disclose 'Maddox Jonas Saylor' — she must've been proud of her name. "You don't even have to try to pronounce it," she added. "It's Welsh. The Welsh language is... beyond me, really. Have you heard of that one town in Wales that's like, a million syllables?"

"Can't say I have," said Maddox. 

Lunet blinked. "Never mind."

"How old are you, Lunet?" Maddox asked, contributing to the small talk she reeled him into. He made a special effort to say her name — it was strange, curious, the way his lips moved when he said it, the way his voice sounded. "I'm sixteen," he said, "birthday was a few weeks ago." Right then he was transported to those previous weeks, where he was in denial of the inevitable move; his mother claimed the new house was a birthday present, and she was half-joking.

"Fourteen," she responded, at once.

"I'm assuming you go the high school 'round here?"

"Of course," Lunet said flatly. "You think I go to Martyr's Academy?"

Maddox squinted. Lunet chortled.

"The — the preppy all girls' school." She continued. "I'd rather go to a school within walking distance of here than on the edge of town. I'm a sloth at heart. Not for me, Freckles," she teased. Punctuating her sentence with a scoff, Maddox couldn't help but smile, and the awkwardness, pestering him like weeds rearing their ugly heads in a well-trimmed lawn, ceased.

A friend? This quick? He broke a record.

"You're new," she began, "I saw you move in yesterday. Made a lot of noise up there, up those stairs." For a moment, Maddox feared she was referring to his snoring. "You'll be starting school on Monday, I figure?"

"You figure correctly," said Maddox. "But yeah, Monday. Kinda nervous."

"Oh, Frecks. No need to be," she said, reminding him eerily of his mother. "If I can't beat up the people giving you dirty looks or a hard time, I'm sure Scar can."

"Scar?" Maddox queried. Based upon the name and Lunet's description alone, they sounded like the kind of person you didn't want to have as an enemy.

"A friend of mine, Scarlet. You'll meet her, one way or another."

Ah, a girl you didn't want to have as an enemy. The best kind.

"Maddox!" yelled a voice from above. As the shout hung in the air, Maddox felt the sensation of a bullet pierce his stomach. It was his mother, and she had descended a few stairs so she may get a better look at her son and their new neighbor. She smiled giddily. "I didn't know you had a _girlfriend_ ," she joked. "We haven't even been here a day..."

Maddox groaned, humiliated. Lunet's smile faded into a curious expression. 

"That's my mom," he whispered, and then he turned, elevating his voice to talk to her. "She's not my girlfriend, Mom!" he shouted in protest, but his mother ignored him. "I should probably go," he muttered to Lunet, who nodded. He bid her farewell, and ran up the stairs to meet his mother, who, although glad Maddox connected to someone this quick, reminded him that he had many things to unpack.

***

The day was spent unpacking. He didn't say it, but Maddox ached to go back outside and talk to Lunet rather than open and empty boxes. Once the sun had set, Maddox's hunger flared, as did his father's, who announced that he was in need of cheap delivery pizza. His wife obliged, and within twenty minutes, the delivery had arrived. Maddox collected his family's dinner in the parking lot, and marched up the stairs fighting the urge to open the box and devour the whole thing for himself. 

His father snatched the pizza box from Maddox and uttered a 'Hallelujah!' while Maddox's mother adorned the table with napkins and three water bottles. 

"So ornate," she declared sarcastically. Maddox laughed along with her.

Maddox ate his dinner quietly, speaking every now and again when his parents joked about the day, reminiscing to the golden age that was their time in Illinois. Strangely, Maddox's mother said nothing of Lunet, and to avoid his father's jests, Maddox said nothing of the girl. After eating nearly half the pizza, Maddox announced it was time for him to retire. His mother stopped him, telling him that there was trash in need of being taken out.

Maddox blinked and turned to the trash can in the shadows of the kitchen, overflowing with cardboard, paper, Styrofoam, and God knows what else besides. "You can handle it?" Maddox's mother asked.

"Yes, I can."

"Yes, he can."

Maddox looked away from his dad, and lumbered to the trash can. He first removed the plastic garbage bag, which was in danger of tearing, and then grabbed numerous boxes, as many as he could. He exited the apartment, struggling to hold onto his cargo as he made his way down the stairs. He approached a bright blue Dumpster behind the complex, heeding his father's directions, set the boxes and bag down, and then opened it to deposit the garbage. After finishing, he returned to the sidewalk, where Lunet was standing.

For a moment Maddox's heart was in his throat, but why did he need to be scared of Lunet? "Hey," he said.

"Hey," said Lunet excitedly. "You have something on your face." 

Maddox licked around his lips, reckoning it was pizza grease. 

"No, not there. To the left, no, the right, sorry. There." Lunet chuckled under her breath, and Maddox rolled his eyes, though he smiled. "Anyway, what are you doing out?"

"Trash," said Maddox, but then he challenged Lunet with the same question, "What are _you_ doing out?"

"Ever been moon gazing?" the girl asked. 

Mirroring their interaction from earlier, Maddox said, "Can't say I have."

"Come with me, then!" Lunet replied, and in the blink of an eye Maddox found her hands in his own palms.

Maddox inhaled, and said, "You understand I was taking the trash out, right? My parents'll probably be looking around for me anytime soon."

Lunet put her hands on her hips, retracting them quickly from Maddox. "Okay, Freckles, why don't you just tell your parents you're going moon gazing with your new neighbor? I'm sure they'll understand."

"My parents have no idea what moon gazing is, I can assure you." He laughed dryly. "And who in their right mind would let a boy out in the middle of the night with a girl?"

"You've hardly known me an hour," Lunet reminded him. Maddox nodded; that was true, but even then, who in their right mind would let a boy out in the middle of the night with a girl he's hardly met? Lunet could've been a serial killer, for all he knew, or a witch. Or both. 

"I —" Maddox began, but Lunet pouted before he could answer fully. A pout sent a thousand arguments at him, all of them unable to triumph over. At last he relented, and said, "Come with me."

The two headed up the rusty staircase and Maddox stood in front of his door, Lunet hidden at his left. He opened the door, and then called, "Mom!" His mother answered at once, quietly scolding him for letting moths in again. 

"Having Dumpster troubles?" she asked.

"No," Maddox said, and then his mouth went dry. "I... um... well, Lunet..."

Roused by the sound of her name, the girl moved into the doorway, pushing Maddox out of the way. She extended her hand outward. With no second thoughts, Maddox's mother shook Lunet's hand. "Hello!" said Lunet, "I've seen you earlier today. Maddox's mom?"  


"Yes," she confirmed. Maddox clicked his tongue and looked into the star-strewn sky, refusing to look but continuing to listen. The moon was watching him from above, undoubtedly laughing at him. Lunet asked, clear as day, if Maddox could accompany her on tonight's moon gazing trip. "Moon gazing?" asked Maddox's mom, and Maddox could hear her eyebrows raise so high they almost jumped off her head.

"Moon gazing, yes," said Lunet. "It's a monthly tradition. When the moon's full and bright. I thought Maddox would enjoy it, but is it fine with you?" Maddox turned his head back to look at her. Lunet looked like she wouldn't take no for an answer, but the look on his own mother's face said yes, yes, yes, certainly, yes, Lunet, take him with you. He needs interaction.

"Yes!" said his mother at once. "Yes, you can! Just be back before..." she turned around, and shouted, "Babe! The time?" Maddox's face went red; Lunet stifled a laugh. "Right. Be back before ten, if that's how long it takes."

Lunet, smiling proudly and much like a cat, led Maddox down the stairs again without another word, and they entered the woods. 

The forest was much different in the spectrum of darkness than in the lens of daylight. The trees cast strange-looking shadows on the ground, courtesy of the moon above. Full and prominent in the night sky, Maddox grew uncomfortable at the sight of it. It had spied on him, laughed at him, and now he imagined it was silent, stalking its prey. It was like an eye, an all-seeing eye. It spied not just on him, but on Lunet, his parents, everyone in town, everyone in the world. The stars provided meager illumination in comparison to the reflected sunlight. 

Lunet had her eyes on the moon as well, though she fawned at it. "There's a spot," she said, "a cool place where I gaze."

"How far is it from here?"

"Not too far, Frecks. No need for the impatience."

Maddox whistled as he walked, taking the time to look at the ground every so often to avoid rocks, roots, and the like. The atmosphere and ambience of the area was enough to unnerve anyone, though not Lunet, who smiled broadly when leading Maddox to the fabled 'spot'. Lunet was unafraid of anything, it seemed, and as long as she was there, he'd be fine, apprehensiveness aside. He looked up at the moon, and when his whistling grew frantic, Lunet shushed him.

Eventually, the trees grew scarce in number, and Maddox found himself and Lunet in a clearing. The meadow, covered with tall grasses and flowers sprinkled along the edges, seemed almost like an enclosure, a zoo exhibit. Lunet hopped into it, while Maddox stepped gingerly over the fence of vegetation. He sat, as did Lunet. They began to gaze, both without saying a word, and Maddox relaxed. Him and the moon were friends now — perhaps lovers. 

Weary from a day of hard work, his eyes grew heavy and a yawn escaped his lips. Wiping his eyes, he turned to look at Lunet. The gold paint on her face glittered slightly when she yawned as well. "Enjoyin' yourself?" she asked, and she received a nod from him. Maddox rose and reached a hand down his neck, scratching his freckled back. 

"Tired?" he asked.

"Not really," said Lunet.

He was silent for much longer than expected when he noticed that they weren't alone. His eyes nearly popped out of their own sockets; his stomach became nonexistent. "Lunet," he said.

The girl did not move, but said, "Yeah?"

"There's a wolf."

At this Lunet rose from the ground. Together they looked upon the same wolf, a slender, silvery one with a pair of mesmerizing eyes, blue — or now were they purple in color? — that glinted in the moonlight. Maddox hadn't done a bit of research concerning Pennsylvania prior to moving, and had no clue as to whether wolves called this state home, especially with eyes like _that_. And for the first time since meeting Lunet — a little under two hours — the girl seemed scared, with her paling face and eyes the size of dinner plates. 

"Uh," said Lunet, "run."

Maddox yelped once he realized Lunet began to sprint, and followed her as close as he could. He turned around to get one last look at the wolf, who had silently made its way into the meadow, slowly yet intent, its eyes blazing. Maddox knew that wolves and humans weren't a good match for one another. He wished with every bone in his body that the wolf did not follow him or Lunet. 

He ran in the dark, and caught up with Lunet, panting at her side. His mind conjured a series of dark images as the two tried to flee: The wolf was pursuing them, eyes alight, teeth bared. After what seemed like an age he and Lunet escaped the woods, their chests heaving. 

"Well, that was some moon gazing," said Lunet, and Maddox was unsure if she was being sarcastic or not. "Uh, see you on Monday? That was kind of scary, being honest. Uh... our secret?"  


Why keep a secret of a wolf? Maddox thought.

"Yeah, sure," said Maddox. "I'll go home. Good night."

"Good night," said Lunet, her tone grave. She didn't face him.

Maddox ascended the rusty staircase, adrenaline still coursing through his veins, his nightmarish thoughts of the wolf still fresh in his mind.

That was definitely _new_.


	3. Despondence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddox meets even more new faces.

_BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP..._

Maddox awoke with a start and unlocked his phone, silencing the blaring alarm. He pulled the phone free of its charger and began to get ready for school, dreading it already. Was it really, was it truly Monday?

Changing from pajamas to the outfit he selected the night before, Maddox headed to the bathroom, ready for his morning trivialities — making sure his hair was _perfect_ , as his mother would put it. Rinse face, brush teeth, fix hair. To both his parents, there was really nothing to fix — the boy's hair, a mess of curls, was always fixed on its own. He, however, did not agree; he could imagine Lunet agreeing with his parents, but unlike Amanda or Andrew Saylor, Lunet was blunt.

Once he finished, he met his mother at the bottom of the stairs. She smiled warmly at him.

"Ready?" she asked, excitedly.

Maddox, unable to understand why she was so jumpy, managed a simple, "Yeah — yes."

"That girl living down below us? Luna, was that her name?"

"No, it's Lunet. _Loo-nay_. Like filet," Maddox replied, echoing his exchange with Lunet from two days ago. He felt proud to have said her name, for reasons he wouldn't admit — it was that same flood of appreciation and admiration for her name and just who she was, how she entered his life as though the product of a wish for new friends. His mother nodded, saying the name to herself. Maddox ran a hand through his hair to ensure nothing was out of place, as well as a means to avoid his mother's stare.

"We live in walking distance," she said, "from the school. When I got the mail yesterday she asked if you two could walk together. She's such a nice girl."

"She _what_ now?" said Maddox, shouting in surprise. He nearly tumbled down the stairs. His mother snickered at him.

"Don't get too excited," she said. "If you like her, just tell me. You also never told me about your 'moon gazing' thing."

"I don't like her like that," Maddox answered. "Love at first sight isn't real. And, I had a fun time... moon gazing." He blinked, and for the brief moment wherein his eyes were shut, he saw the wolf in the meadow. He pursed his lips.

"I'm very happy you scored yourself a friend, though. That's what you need here."

"That's obvious," Maddox said. He moved past her into the kitchen, and poured himself a cup of orange juice. He downed it like a shot glass, and then snatched a warm and gooey toaster strudel his father left for him on the counter also. Before he could walk out of the apartment, his mother stopped him.

"Wait on me!" she said.

Maddox furrowed his eyebrows. "You're coming?"

"Uh, duh! I think you'll need help with your paperwork. You'd want that, won't you? Me and your dad got most of it sorted out over the phone, but why would you want to go alone?"

Maddox shook his head side to side. "I can handle it," he insisted. "And I don't know how Lunet would react if we _all_ went to school together."

Maddox's mother crinkled her nose. "If you say so." Maddox caught the sheen of tears in her eyes. His father appeared from the kitchen, kissed her forehead, and waved with a smile. "Go on, son. It's just a little 'motional for her."

Maddox left the apartment and was greeted by the early morning sun. He knocked on Lunet's door, but she was already present, ready to open it and disembark from the apartment complex herself. They exchanged hellos; Maddox couldn't help but notice she scrubbed the paint off her nose. "Can't call me Paint, not anymore," she said, and then pointed dramatically at her nose. Laughing, Maddox explained to her that she read his mind.

"You're gonna have to show me how to get to school from here," he told her afterwards.

Lunet made a face that guaranteed she was bound to burst into laughter at any second, but she contained herself. "I'll give you a pass," she said, "since you just moved here, but a toddler could find his way there. So let's go, Maddox." She cocked her head to the side after saying his name, and then narrowed her eyes. "Maddox," she repeated. 

Lunet pulled her purple backpack over her shoulder and hopped onto the sidewalk, flanked by Maddox. He stared deep into the woods at their side and shivered. They were now wreathed in mist. Thin rays of golden sunlight peered through them, giving the mist a warm yellow tinge. "Whatcha looking at?" Lunet asked playfully. Maddox moved his head to face her, rather than the forest.

"Just the woods," he answered. He reared his head back to continue gazing at the trees. The mist pirouetted, as if wind had passed through it, though the leaves appeared as if they had remained untouched. They had now left the apartment complex behind and reached a block where the school was in plain slight. The pavement was now lined with streetlights and fallen leaves. "You know," he added, "you've been thinking about... er, Saturday?"

Lunet sighed. "Don't wanna talk about it," she said. "It was _just_ a wolf."

"Just a wolf," echoed Maddox. "You know, wolves _kill_."

"But we're alive!" Lunet said, throwing her hands into the air. "Yes, it was a wolf, but we're alive. Alive and fine. We lived to tell the tale. It really wasn't a big deal."

He ceased arguing, fearing he would sour his newfound friendship with Lunet. She did have a point; they were safe, the wolf had most likely gone to scare someone elsewhere. But the eyes, he reminded himself. The eyes. That was weird.

They then reached the school. Their destination was already teeming with students, some frolicking and fraternizing on the grounds, while others seemed as if they weren't that eager to be there. After a moment of simply watching the school, taking it all in, Maddox and Lunet finally stepped onto the campus. "Welcome home," he heard Lunet say, and he frowned.

"What?"

"It's from an anime. Don't worry."

Oh, God, she's Wapanese, Maddox thought. "Right."

As they walked towards the doors, Maddox's eyes darted like flies to view the building, every inch, every cranny, valley, and stain. The massive brick building, from what he observed, had multiple stories, and had seen much better days. In faded letters above the doors, a metal square read:

**PENN ABBEY HIGH SCHOOL**

_Founded 1963_

Multiple windows showcased classrooms within them, some of them devoid of life, sans their resident teacher chugging coffee to get them through the day like cars on gasoline. A few portables latched onto the school's walls; benches and small trees wrapped with streams of lights dotted the grassy courtyard. Lunet nudged Maddox as soon as he finished his examination of the school, and the two walked through the doors. A teacher — a tall woman with brown hair pulled in an uncomfortable ponytail — stomped into the courtyard to conduct student drop-off. The buses must've arrived and deposited their cargo already: A bus drove away from the school building, empty of kids, trailing red and brown leaves in its wake.

"You'll need to go get a schedule from the Front Office," Lunet said. "I would've done that with my mom."

Before answering, Maddox commenced his study of the school's interior. Students rushed to classrooms — or in some cases, the restrooms, in which they had packs of cigarettes in hand. Maddox saw a clique of girls making their way to the first lesson of the day; he turned away as one of the girls made eye contact with him.

"I'll handle it," he said. "But, thanks, Lunet." She explained she was nearly tardy, but sent him a 'You're welcome'. "Who knows — maybe we could get in some of the same classes?"

"Fingers crossed," she said with a smile. She left him alone, and Maddox's own smile faded at once into a neutral expression.

He crossed the threshold into the Front Office. With two cracked leather chairs pushed against the wall, a small gray table, and a vase encrusted with dust and sporting wilted flowers, the office was in need of a makeover. Behind a counter decorated with hand sanitizer, an old black telephone, several folders, and a pile of neon green hall passes, there sat a woman typing away at her computer, paying Maddox no attention. She bore a weary expression, and as she sighed in frustration, she blew a strand of her own gray hair upwards. She looked like the living embodiment of her own office.

"I'm the new junior," he specified, putting his hands on the counter and placing his backpack on one of the chairs. His mother ought to be proud of his independence, rather than crying as she had been at home. "Maddox Saylor."

"Saylor," said the school secretary, grabbing onto one of the folders. After scanning its contents, she produced a notepad and scribbled onto it. She tore the sheet off the notepad and handed to him. It read:

_Spier, room 316_

Maddox took the backpack and held onto the note, thanking the woman. She responded with a nonchalant grunt. The room number was pretty close to where he was then — the Front Office was numbered 337. Maddox spent a few minutes glancing at the room numbers and avoiding the harsh stare of a short woman strutting around in high heels. Finally, he found it: Spier — room 316 — Algebra II, Geometry, and Pre-Calc.

Maddox knocked on the door, and it was answered not even a second later. Thanking the girl who opened the door, he found himself among the most curious crowd of classmates he'd ever seen. 

The girl returned to her own group of friends, who surrounded a small speaker. Maddox considered it both irritating and hilarious that 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' was playing. Another group, which consisted of girls doing absolutely nothing but typing away at their phones, didn't seem very welcoming. A final group consisted of a few boys laughing like a pack of hyenas over a joke.

With no idea of what to do, Maddox plopped into a chair near the 80s enthusiasts, and said nothing. Feeling their stares, he put his head down, ignoring his queasy stomach. He was back to his mental state on Friday: Withdrawn, tense. A minute passed, and Maddox missed the opportunity of a nap once someone rested their hand on his arm, attempting to yank him out of his seat. Before he could speak, he felt another tug — he saw a girl from the 80s clique, who shooed away the other girl.

"The least I could do is save you from them. I really wouldn't like to see someone else falling in with the wrong crowd," said the girl. "Would you like to sit with us instead? I wouldn't like to spend a first day alone."

"S-sure. I never caught your name?"

"Scarlet," she said.

"Scar?" Maddox said, becoming jerky as he recalled Lunet saying the name.

"What?" Scarlet said in return, confused by the sudden nicknaming.

"Lunet told me about you," Maddox responded with a smile. Scarlet blinked rapidly, her eyelashes fluttering, and she looked appeased.

"Nice to know you've met her," she said. "Get along well?"

"Yeah," said Maddox. "Oh, and thank you for _saving_ me. Lunet said you'd beat up anyone who'd come up after me, the ones she couldn't deal with."

"Factual," said Scarlet. "It's my job, after all — most people call me 'Mom'."

Maddox scooted over into the group of desks belonging to the 80s clique, and they (save Scarlet, of course) eyed the newcomer with blank expressions. Scarlet chuckled to herself. "This is —" She gulped, and pulled Maddox close to her. She whispered in his ear, "I never caught _your_ name."

"Maddox," he said quickly.

"Maddox!" Scarlet announced. "This is Maddox. And as you can see, I just saved him from Cleo."

"Well, I'll be," said a boy, right next to Scarlet. He removed his headphones, paused his music playing on his phone, and adjusted his glasses. He smiled, much like a cat, reminding Maddox forcibly of Lunet. "Can't keep her nose out of anyone's business, not even a new kid."

Scarlet looked at Maddox, then at her friends, and then at Maddox again. "Allow me to introduce them for you."

Beginning with the girl who answered the door — a girl named Elly — Scarlet did as she said. She named the boy with the headphones as Gabriel. She pointed at a boy next to him, who was also bespectacled, though he was a stark contrast to Gabriel's lithe frame — he was plump with broad shoulders and a warm smile. "That's Dakota," she said, only to be cut off by Gabriel.

"Everyone calls him Dak," he said.

"Dak," said Scarlet. 

"Where's the teacher?" Maddox asked, as he realized there was no adults in sight.

"Eh, who knows. In traffic, crying with the principal, no one's ever too sure. Ranting about her daughter in Utah? A birdie she saw flew past her windshield?" said Gabriel, stuffing his headphones into his blue backpack. "You see — she's got a mouth on her. Can't shut up. _Won't_ shut up." Maddox took a moment to appreciate the vivid color of Gabriel's eyes — his blue-gray irises looked like the tides of a cold winter sea.

Dak, at Gabriel's side, chuckled to agree. A smile flashed across Gabriel's face. "One time," Dak said, getting in on the action, "she went on a tangent about the personality and character flaws of a nonagon."

"He's exaggerating," said Scarlet.

Gabriel and Dak exchanged glances. "Nope," they said in unison.

Maddox, motionless and not sure if this meant his new teacher, Spier, was funny or a pain, said, "A — a nonagon?"

"She probably won't be here for a while," Scarlet interjected. "She's been late nearly every day of the year. So, no need to worry 'bout her. I would suggest worrying about _us_ instead." She paused, to look at Elly. "Elly, would you paint my nails, please?"

Elly nodded and rummaged through Scarlet's bag. She still hadn't said a word to Maddox; was it that she was awkward herself? Not a talker?

"I can help you with yours later, if you'd like," Scarlet continued, still looking at Elly. "Pay back a favor with a favor. Oh, Maddox, I'm sure you won't like to watch Elly paint my nails, unless you want yours painted, too — painting nails is so boring. You can get to know everyone else; I'm sure they'll find you cool." She winked at him.

"Oh, no thank you," said Maddox. "About the nails. I wouldn't like mine painted."

Maddox heard Gabriel huff. Dak laughed also.

"Where'd you come from?" asked Dak, initiating small talk.

"Illinois. Ever heard of Saint Laurelstein?"

"Saint — excuse me?" Gabriel said, bringing his fingers below his eyes. "Illuminate me."

Before Maddox could reel Dak and Gabriel into a conversation about his hometown, the door opened, revealing an extremely tall, middle-aged woman with a pile of papers in her hands. Maddox assumed this was none other than Spier, and took a deep breath. 

"Now look what the cat brought in," murmured Dak. Gabriel slapped Dak's wrist.

Spier — Mrs. Spier, thought Maddox, as he saw a ring on her fourth finger — took a seat at her desk in front of the students. Her mere presence resulted in all cellphones, speakers, and anything else impertinent to math to disappear; Madonna's chant of ' _You know that we are livin' in a material world, and I am a material girl_ ' came to an abrupt stop. Mrs. Spier cleared her throat, and instantly locked eyes with Maddox from across the room. As she smiled welcomingly, Maddox cringed at the sight of her crooked, yellowing teeth. "There he is!" Mrs. Spier shouted. "This is Maddox, the new student I mentioned last week."

Maddox waved to the crowd surrounding him with an awkward grin, and didn't know what else to do. "You mind saying something about yourself?" asked Mrs. Spier.

Back to square one. The dreaded question. Maddox hated those words. _Say something about yourself_. Maddox felt blood rush to his face. Sweat formed on his forehead, and out of an involuntary reflex, Maddox began to tap his foot in an anxious panic. 

"Well, I'm Maddox — obviously — I moved here from Illinois not so long ago — yeah, that's all." And with that, he looked down at his shoes, finding them far more interesting than his new teacher and peers.

Gabriel took quick notice, and whispered to him, "Hey, no worries, 'kay? It's your first day; things will get better with time."

Gabriel sounded far more convincing than Maddox's own mother.

"You can sit there, for the time being," said Spier, pushing her gray-blonde hair back. She must've not been native to Pennsylvania, thought Maddox, as her southern drawl was starting to annoy him. "I'm glad to see this side is the friendliest," she added, sending the other two cliques a glare. Once she turned back to face Maddox and his companions, she blinked and squinted.

"Elly — are you painting Scarlet's nails?"

Before Elly could say anything, Scarlet said, "Oh, yes, ma'am. See, look. _Cerise_. With glitter."

"And, finished," said Elly, putting the nail polish back into Scarlet's bag. "Just finished."

Spier didn't say a word, and rose from her desk to scribble down important dates on the blank whiteboard. A collective groan rose from the class as Mrs. Spier wrote TEST THIS THURSDAY in big bold letters. Maddox bit his lip as Spier shimmied back to her desk, and she opened her laptop as she sat down. This class was definitely going to be a nightmare.

As the bell rang about half an hour later, Maddox meekly asked Mrs. Spier for a schedule, which she provided immediately. He studied the paper with nervous eyes, and hoped Lunet would appear in one of his classes. He read:

**MADDOX JONAS SAYLOR**

  * **Honors, Algebra II - Spier, Carla - ROOM 316**
  * **Physical Education - Barnes, Jacob - GYMNASIUM  
**
  * **Computer Applications - Kells, Kayla - ROOM 264**
  * **Study Hall - Farris, Verona - ROOM 104 (SECOND LUNCH)**
  * **Honors, Chemistry - Morrison, Clark - ROOM 103**
  * **Home Economics - Bailey, Belinda - ROOM 280**



Sighing, Maddox left the room. Scarlet, Gabriel, Dak, and Elly were long gone.

Time to take on the school, he thought.


	4. Simple Sheep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddox enjoys what's left of a hectic first day of school.

Maddox, alone, stepped into the hallway. He built up the courage to ask, "Anyone heading to the gym? New student, here!"

Goodness — no wonder no one answered him; he made a spectacle of himself.

For a moment, Maddox's hope faltered, until he felt a tap on his shoulder. Expecting Lunet, he was instead met by another, unfamiliar girl. "Me and my sister are," she said. Maddox realized that this girl — and her sister, standing at her left — were twins, identical. Their faces were both filled to the brim with freckles; their eyes were both beady and brown; and a long wave of chocolate-colored curls fell down to the small of their backs. They were only subtly different; one, the girl who had tapped his shoulder and spoken to him, bore a softer face and a curious look, while her sister, her eyes narrowed, had a sharper jawline and bore a dissatisfied expression.

"I'm Bea," said the nicer-looking girl, "and she's Pea."

"Don't call me that," said Pea. "How do you get 'Pea' out of Penelope?"

"You told me not to call you Penny, or Pen, so —"

"Just call me _Penelope_ ," Pea insisted, and Maddox was unsure as to whether she was speaking to him or her own sister.

"It would be cute if we were Pea and Bea, though," Bea returned. "Just like —"

"Just like elementary school, yeah," said Pea. "Keep in mind, this is high school." 

Maddox continued to watch the sisters bicker, and began to wonder if he would be late to class because of them. The students in the hallway swerved around the three, some with grimaces and rolling eyes, others mouthing curses and berating them for standing in the middle of the hall. 

"Beatrice, I'm going to —"

"I'm gonna call you Pea," spoke up Maddox. Lunet would be proud. He laughed; Bea's face lit up at the sound of it and she laughed as well. Pea sucked up her pride and chuckled, relenting her jabs and jests. "Anyways, uh, the gym?"

"Oh, right! Follow us, I hope we're not late!" exclaimed Bea.

Pea and Bea led Maddox out of the corridor and into the cafeteria, and within a minute he found himself in the gymnasium. The walls were painted neon blue, so bright that it irritated Maddox's eyes. The floor was shiny, seemingly waxed not so long ago.

"You have Barnes, ew," said Pea at Maddox's right. "He stares at the girls when they do jumping jacks."

"It's true," said Bea in assent. "My friend told me once that her mom worked with him at Chick-fil-A when they were little."

"Small town," said Maddox.

Maddox approached his new teacher and gulped. Jacob Barnes was a tall man in peak physical condition, with hair beginning to gray along the edges. His skin, so red Maddox thought he showered with lava instead of water, caused Pea to liken him to an oversized lobster. Maddox handed Barnes his schedule, refusing to inhale the pungent smell of shaving cream, and explained he was a new student. Gruffly, Barnes told Maddox to observe today's routine to get an idea of what to do, something Maddox thanked the man for, as he knew very well there was no way Maddox would be willing to participate in jumping jacks and whatever else on his first day of school.

Maddox moseyed to the bleachers and slouched there, watching a single cockroach scurry around the wood in search for scraps. Barnes oversaw the boys' class; another woman who looked no older than eighteen supervised the girls. Maddox realized both groups had to change into athletic wear — the boys' locker room at one end of the gym did not seem welcoming; he imagined himself in there, in a room that smelled of sweat and cigarette smoke and expired gravy. After a series of stretches, the students began a rather strenuous exercise routine. He laughed to himself, watching Bea's chest heave and Pea untouched by sweat, energized rather than panting and begging for the class to end, though he knew if he was down on the gym floor, he'd be a member of Bea's party.

The pearly white grins of Barnes and his counterpart terrified Maddox. They watched, practically without blinking, all their students suffer as a collective, except for Pea, it seemed.

The routine came to an end, and a game of gym football commenced. Maddox chewed his nails, and the cockroach raced past his foot.

***

When he thought watching the gym students was about to be declared a prison sentence, the bell rang. Bea, reading his schedule, gave him directions to the Computer Apps classroom, located in a hallway above the cafeteria. Maddox walked into the classroom minutes later, and to his surprise, found Gabriel and Dak there, who reacted in equal astonishment. He stood and waved, glad they were there. The teacher was nowhere to be found.

"Oh, look who it is," Gabriel called out in a flowy voice, reminding Maddox of his own analogy he had made earlier: His eyes were a sea, and his voice now appeared to be an ocean current.

Maddox stood behind their chairs and said, "Hello."

"What was your second class?" asked Dak. 

Maddox laughed. "Gym with Coach Barnes." At the sound of Barnes' name, both boys swooned. Maddox, confused, said nothing of it, and continued, "I didn't have to do anything today. I'm friends with a roach, now."

"He and I had English," Gabriel explained. "With _Mr. O'Connell_." 

Maddox expected another swoon, but Dak chuckled, and said to Maddox, "Gabriel's dad."

"Not my dad. Guardian."

Maddox pursed his lips. "Isn't that fun, though? Are you his teacher's pet?"

Gabriel gagged. "No, actually; he treats me much, much harsher than anyone else. I'd say Dak's the teacher's pet."

"I'm glad to be in this class with you guys," said Maddox. "How are things in here? Easy, or —"

Maddox was interrupted by the sound of a wedge sliding across the floor and someone in boots stepping into the room. Maddox whipped around; this must've been Kells. In comparison to Mrs. Spier, Coach Barnes, and the unnamed woman in the gym, she was the prettiest teacher he'd seen all day, with black, kinky hair, soft lips and ochre skin, and a smile as sweet as honey. The moment her eyes met Maddox's, her smile grew even brighter and she approached him, ecstatic.

"It's Say- _lor_ , right? Maddox? I'm happy to see you!"

"Say- _ler_ ," Maddox corrected, and he tried his hardest not to come off as rude. Ms. Kells apologized, and still smiling, directed Maddox to an empty chair in the corner of the room, crushing his hopes of sitting with Gabriel and Dak.

Gabriel must've had the same thoughts, as he clicked his tongue, and said, "Wait!"

"Yes?" Ms. Kells said, raising her eyebrows. "Gabriel —"

"Can Maddox sit _here_?" Gabriel asked, gesturing to an empty seat at Gabriel's left. There were hardly any students in the classroom; Gabriel did have a point when he went on about how sitting alone — especially on the first day of school — was a social detriment. Maddox looked first at Gabriel and then at Ms. Kells, making it clear he agreed with Gabriel and as did Dak.

Maddox spent the entire class pressing random keys and moving the mouse around, undirected, around the computer screen, listening in on Dak and Gabriel and laughing every now and then, though when he asked, he did speak of his previous life. He found himself finding Saint Laurelstein and his earlier, Illinois life a distant memory. This was something he relished in; he remembered how cranky and unreasonably melancholic he was during his first night in Pennsylvania and how foolish that was.

The class spiraled down the drain, and in time, the bell rang once more. His next destination, the Science Wing, was found on the first level of the school, facing the back of the cafeteria. Smiling, Maddox waved goodbye to his two new friends, and started his course to his fourth class.

***

There was a substitute in Ms. Farris' Study Hall; she introduced herself as Ms. Kean, a short, squat woman with a pair of glasses too large for her own face. The class became divisive at her presence: Some griped, the others smiled wholeheartedly, and Maddox figured at least one or two unruly students schemed to manipulate her. Once she began roll call, Maddox rehearsed how to explain to her that she was a new student, and most likely not on the list. Doing this under his breath, Maddox hoped no one branded him as a weirdo, and even worse, a wizard casting a magic spell.

'Ashley' was the first name Ms. Kean read from the list; this prompted a tall, redheaded girl to raise her hand and say, "Here!" before returning to several sheets of unfinished homework. 

"Tobias?"

"Here."

"Cleo?"

Maddox jolted as a shock of worry fired down his spine. Cleo, he thought, where have I heard —

 _This is Maddox. And as you can see, I just saved him from_ _Cleo_ , he remembered Scarlet say hours ago. Maddox swallowed and panicked; the classroom offered nowhere to hide from a girl he had never seen. Where was Scarlet to protect him?

Maddox's curiosity got the best of him; he turned around in his seat to find Cleo among the group of students, waiting for a girl to declare her presence after her name was called. 

"Here," said Cleo coolly.

Studying the girl, Maddox determined that she was quite the match for Scarlet. The girl's lips — Cleo's lips — rested in the shape of a pleasant, innocent smile, though Maddox deduced that if he knew her well enough, it was but a façade. Her voluminous hair fell in bleach-blonde waves, reminding him of Scarlet's darker, dirty blonde tresses. Contrasting the colorlessness of her face, Cleo's lips were coated in bright blue lipstick, and her nails were polished the same color; her eyes, a lightless hazel, focused on her lap rather than anyone else in the classroom.

As if by divine providence, Scarlet entered the room the exact moment Ms. Kean called her name. She beamed upon seeing Maddox, and Maddox smiled shakily at her, elated that she was at his side if Cleo wanted to act up. 

More and more names, until —

"Will."

A few seats away from Cleo, there sat a tall, dashing young man. With envy, Maddox acknowledged he was everything Maddox wasn't — muscular body just barely hidden by tight designer clothes, tanned skin, a smile that glittered like diamonds, and a shock of pineapple blond hair. Grinning devilishly, he raised his hand rather than announced his presence, and then displayed his grin to Cleo. Girls throughout the classroom gushed without warning as Will ran a hand through his hair.

The twisting vines of insecurity and jealousy retreated once Ms. Kean brought the roll call to an end, and was replaced by tendrils of intense worry once she asked, "Anyone's name I didn’t call?" Suspicions confirmed, Maddox rose from his seat, depleting much of his social battery upon finishing his explanation. 

Maddox returned to his seat, breathing heavily all the way. 

Ms. Kean passed out a sheet printed with science-related riddles; rather than genuine answers from the students, the sheets were instead covered with scribbles, doodles, and notes by the end of class. Only whispers filled the classroom; the students didn’t want Ms. Kean to realize their neglect to their assignment, after all. 

Maddox wondered if Ms. Kean _did_ notice; he assumed that if she did, she most likely didn’t care, as she was already absorbed in a book whose cover depicted a scantily clad man holding onto a bright red rose. She didn't bat an eye as several students roamed out of their seats in order to socialize.

Stealthily, Will moved himself right next to Cleo, electing to sit on the floor beside her rather than in a seat. The pair instantly ran their mouths together — Maddox reasoned they were a couple. Maddox eventually gathered the courage to sit next to Scarlet. She, like Kean, was immersed in a book.

"Hey," was all Maddox said. Scarlet sighed, putting her book down.

Assuming the worst, Maddox swallowed audibly and looked away.

Scarlet burst into laughter. "Not you!" she said, surprised by his jump to conclusions. "I was frustrated at someone in the book."

"Oh, thank goodness," Maddox replied in relief.

"No need to worry about me," Scarlet insisted. "I’m ninety-nine percent sure you're a sweetheart, anyway — I don't think I'll ever get annoyed at you that easily."

_That easily._

"What book is it?" Maddox asked, and the vile thought vanished.

" _Eleanor and Park_ ," Scarlet returned. "You're not reading anything — not a reader?"

"It depends," Maddox explained. "But enough about books."

Resting her face on top of her fingers, Scarlet said, "What’s up?" 

"I just wanted to say — for one, I'm glad you're in here with me, and two, thank you for dragging me out of my seat this morning, out of the danger zone." He chuckled; Scarlet did the same. "I thought I'd only have Lunet today — you really helped me out, thank you."

Scarlet whipped her hair and brought her hand to her mouth as her laughter intensified. 'Don’t mention it," she said. "But, I do have one little secret,” she added, "I'm glad I dragged you out of that seat, too. I, and really, everybody else, could use a new face every now and then."

Maddox's mind quickly revisited the dread of Friday night… _new, new, new_ … now _he_ was the new thing, and Scarlet enjoyed it! He'd never thought… 

Hiding his lips in his mouth, Maddox changed the subject. "So, when do we go to lunch? My schedule says I have second lunch, but I don't know what that means."

"About twenty minutes from now, why?"

"Well, I’m hungry, of course! Nice knowing you," he joked; his stomach audibly growled. Scarlet tossed her book into her backpack and scooted her chair closer to Maddox. Changing the subject yet again, believing lunch to be rather stale already, he inquired, “The substitute — her name's Ms. Kean, right? What's she like? I'm sorry I’m asking so many questions.”

Scarlet shook her head. "Don’t be like that!" she said, and then added, "Ask as many as you like, okay? Remember, this is your first day of school. Oh, and Ms. Kean — a lot of teachers call her up from time to time, Farris especially. I'm sure Farris will love you once you meet her tomorrow; well, _if_ you meet her tomorrow — I think being absent from school is one of her hobbies.”

"If I was her, I bet I'd be the same way," disclosed Maddox. "I wouldn't want to deal with kids like Cleo every day."

Scarlet chuckled. "Also, you're free to sit with us at second lunch, if you'd like,” she offered. "I'll take you to our table. Gabriel will be there, and so will Elly, Dakota, and Halie, but you haven't met Halie yet, I don’t think."

"Don’t think so," said Maddox.

Another new face? — Maddox was growing ambivalent, at best, to new faces, now. At least he wasn't anxious.

Scarlet and Maddox both drowned in conversation, and the feeling of anticipation was lifted off of Maddox's shoulders as the lunch bell rang. He and Scarlet rose from their seats, and he allowed Scarlet to lead him to the cafeteria. Gabriel greeted them, complaining about jelly legs as he ran from his class to the front of the lunch line. "Oh, look! You two have Study Hall together!" he said.

"Uh huh," Maddox declared proudly, and then told Scarlet about having a class with Gabriel and Dak. The three grabbed lunch trays that the lunch ladies generously filled with food. 

Gabriel crinkled his nose in distaste upon seeing a pile of sweet potato fries placed in a section of his plastic tray. "Ugh, the one person who likes these in the whole _school_ is Ryan — they may as well get rid of them!"

Scarlet snickered as a lunch lady sent Gabriel a glare.

"Ryan?" Maddox asked, exchanging glances with Scarlet.

"Friend of Gabriel's. He third wheels for him and his girlfriend sometimes," Scarlet explained. 

_Two_ people liked them, actually — Maddox eyed the fries happily on his tray, licking his lips. He hoped Gabriel wouldn't witness such a transgression. Maddox walked out of the line with a chicken sandwich, a cup of fruit, a small salad, and a carton of skim milk; which, in Maddox's eyes, was the bare necessities, if that.

He took a seat between Scarlet and Gabriel at the lunch table. Maddox introduced himself once more, mainly for Halie, the girl Scarlet described that set next to Dak. Halie was elated to have a new addition to the table and prodded Maddox's hair, saying, "What shampoo do you use?"

"Where’s Lunet?" Maddox asked Scarlet.

"She has third lunch."

"Dang."

"Do you enjoy your classes?" asked Elly, from the other side of Scarlet. 

"Yeah, except for Spier's. It seems none of us like her that much either."

Gabriel laughed loudly. “No one ever has; no one ever will."

"What Bible verse is that?" Dak asked.

Before Gabriel could send back another joke, a girl arrived at the table. Maddox instantly recognized her as Cleo. The cheerful atmosphere of the table automatically ended. Elly and Halie seemed to stop breathing; Gabriel produced the plastic knife from his tray and ran a finger along the blade.

Her eyes drifted across the table and settled on Maddox, whose face was now tomato red with blush.

"Maddox!" she said warmly, as if she had practiced saying his name. Her voice was high-pitched and sweet; sickeningly sweet, saccharine. It reminded Maddox of a twisted, simultaneously perfect and imperfect replica of Scarlet's own voice. 

"Yes?" Maddox replied apprehensively.

"You see that table?" she questioned as if she was his nanny. She pointed at a table a few feet away that Maddox knew were not members of his crowd. Maddox nodded and munched on a sweet potato fry, causing Gabriel to wretch.

"Why don'tcha sit at it tomorrow? Or perhaps, even today? You'll fit right in with us! There is one seat left, after all."

"How do I fit in with you? I barely even know you… I just got here,” Maddox said, anxiety slithering through his veins.

Scarlet mumbled, "You barely even know _us_ , but I understand."

"You have no right sitting with these — _people_ ," Cleo continued. "Myself, I used to be in your shoes… my crowd is the best crowd. You're not gonna make it anywhere in this town if you socialize with these… what are you guys, again? Goths? Emos?"

"As if you couldn’t play up any high school cliché more, Cleo," Scarlet said.

"You stand out among these people," Cleo said, ignoring Scarlet's comment. "Just say yes!"

"I'm fine here," Maddox stated firmly. Cleo's smile dropped; Scarlet practically swooned.

"You — really —"

"It's his decision, anyway," said Scarlet.

Cleo dug her talon-like nails into the table. Maddox was taken aback; that was definitely painful. Before Cleo's nails would shatter into a thousand pieces, she pulled them out of the table. Maddox could tell the words she wanted to say would come out of her mouth like gunfire, but, she took a few deep breaths, and seemed to have calmed down.

"No one has ever told me no before," was all she said. However, as soon as she finished that sentence, she looked as if she was angry again. Before she could begin a tirade, Will arose from Cleo's table and retrieved her.

"You aren’t her property, Maddox," Scarlet assured him. "I’m sorry she acts like that, that’s just her nature. Sad, I know. Or, really irritating. She must just find you hot, or something."

"I'm not hot," Maddox spat.

"Beg to differ," said Gabriel, but before Maddox could say anything, he said, "I was going to ask you, you mind if I get your number. Pragmatic purposes."

Maddox slid his phone to Gabriel. After Gabriel finished, he said, "Now, once you get home, you can talk to us. I'll make sure everyone gets your number, too."

"Of course!" Maddox said.

He frowned as the lunch bell rang.

Halie and Elly left to go back upstairs while the rest of the group headed to Chemistry. It was right across from Farris' room, which was convenient for Maddox as he could easily get his backpack. Gabriel and Maddox stepped into the Chemistry room together. 

He brought Maddox closer and whispered, "Mr. Morrison is like… so weird. Just a warning. I hate this class."

Maddox took a seat with Dakota, Gabriel, and Scarlet in a group of desks, which happened to be the closest to where the teacher was sitting. Morrison arose from his desk and cracked his knuckles. He was very stout and his black hair was slightly messed up in the back; Maddox overheard Gabriel and Dakota whispering about him.

"He doesn’t have a butt," Gabriel observed.

"You’re right."

"You know who has a _nice_ ass, though?"

"Will Pritchard?"

"Will Pritchard."

"It's nice to see you, Maddox, is it? I’ve heard you were top of your science program in Illinois. I expect a lot from you," Morrison said once he approached the table.

Gabriel blushed and looked away from Maddox and Morrison.

"I'll try," Maddox responded, not sure of what else to say, though when Morrison vanished, he said, "I've no clue what he's talking about."

Maddox found himself agreeing with what Gabriel said. Morrison teaching Chemistry was not something to be proud of. As the class neared its end, he internally begged to be liberated from his prison.

Just one more class, just one more, and then he'd see Lunet again. He couldn't wait to talk to her, and he hoped she felt the same.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to leave kudos and comments! I will strive to update every three days, but if my schedule is interrupted, I'll be sure to remind readers.


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